Disclaimer:
~Big thanks to Enemyoffun for making this universe to play in, and to all my beta readers for helping me hammer out some of the details in this chapter.
Author's Note: Here's chapter 5. My apologies for being heavily delayed with this one. Real life took some interesting twists and turns in the gap. I hope you all enjoy the next chapter in Mikaela's hometown adventure.
Please feel free to comment on this, as I always enjoy reading your comments and learning from them immensely.

Chapter 5

December 18, 2011

Marilyn and I reached the campsites by Lake Kokkol near sundown, the following day. Johnathan had insisted on coming with us, but Marilyn told him that wasn't how it worked. My guess was that he just wanted to play the knight in shining armor for the two of us.

From what she was told by her mother, the Mystic would only see no more than two people at any one time, and one of them, had to be a shaman. Hence why John had to remain behind. He definitely didn't like it, from how he acted after the two of us exited his car and started on the trail into the surrounding woodland. He looked concerned, and told us if we ran into any trouble, howl. I snickered at that comment.

Flashlight in hand and illuminated, we began to make our way towards the shaman's residence. The many oak trees, along with some of other varieties in the Mother Lode foothills, made the hike difficult when they were combined with the random boulders that dotted the hillsides, sticking out of the ground. Marilyn and I didn't talk much along the way.

Holding the flashlight in the dimming light, she looked around the area after we reached a fork in the trail.

“Lost?” I asked.

“Not really,” she replied. “Just trying to get my bearings.”

“So, you are lost.”

She grunted, “Fine, if you have to put it that way.”

“Exactly how many times have you been to see this Mystic?” I asked, crossing my arms.

“Uhm...,” she started. “Never.”

“Never?” I exclaimed.

“Well, my mom did tell me how to get there if I ever needed his counsel.”

“And she didn't show you, why?”

“She told me that it was something that young shamans have to find on their own.”

“Okay, you lost me.”

Marilyn sighed deeply and started to explain. “Well, he's the person a young shaman goes to, at least around here and throughout this and the neighboring areas, when they are ready to go into the spirit world and meet their spirit guide. Which is why we have to find him on our own.”

“Okay, you still lost me,” I admitted.

She sighed again. “Shamans connect with the spirits and ask them for guidance, aid in times of need, and when they are seeking wisdom. The spirit guide is unique to the person, and can take any number of forms.”

“Alright, now I'm following you so far. But, why do you seek this guy out?”

“He's been around for a long time, and helps to facilitate the young shaman from crossing over into the spirit realm, and providing an anchor for the young shaman to come back to this world. Without that, they could be lost to the malicious spirits on the other side.”

“Malicious spirits?”

“Yup, spirits come in all flavors, just like the rest of us.”

“Makes sense. So, how come you've never gone searching for him before?”

“Every shaman gets a call by the spirit realm, when they are ready for their first crossover. And it can take place whenever during their lifetime. Although, its usually between sixteen and twenty-five years old.”

“Probably a maturation factor there.”

“Possibly,” she answered, as we finally turned down one of the paths and continued our hike.

“Do other Unseen seek him out?”

“Uhm...,” she thought, “I guess so, from what I've seen my mother do. People do seek her out for advice and everything.”

We continued down the trail as it steadily went downhill towards the lake, growing a bit easier to traverse as we walked.

“So, what did your mother say he was like?” I asked.

She thought it over for a bit, trying to remember as we made our way closer to the lake shore. Looking ahead, I thought I could see a fire burning in the distance. As I listened, I thought I could hear the rustling of some leaves and some leaves also crunching underfoot. Probably just a deer or something nearby.

“Very mysterious,” Marilyn answered. “He loves to talk in riddles. From the way she described him, he sounded like Master Yoda from 'Star Wars.'”

We both giggled at that. I joked, “'Do. Or do not. There is no try.'”

A deep voice emerged from the darkness, “How well put, young ones.”

Marilyn and I whirled in the direction of the voice. The flashlight shown an old man standing to the side of us in the general direction of the lake. He wore a hooded cloak, and had a salt-and-pepper beard. His arms were neatly crossed in front of his chest, obscuring his hands. Little else I could make out in the low light.

“Follow you will,” he stated, with a grin, as he walked in between the two of us for the fire burning in the distance.

I shrugged over at Marilyn, and the two of us followed the older man. “Is this him?” I asked her in a whisper.

“I guess so,” she answered. “He seems mysterious enough.”

We followed him in silence from then on, and a few minutes later, we had arrived at his small house on the lakeside. The fire that I noticed in the distance was the size of a small bonfire, and I could see an animal roasting above the flames, a cougar, by the looks of it.

The hooded man sat in a chair that overlooked the fire and the lake. I noticed a large pail of water and a shovel nearby. Clearly, he did care about his fire not spreading to the nearby woods and setting it all a blaze.

“Please sit by the fire. Tell me why you have sought me out,” he gently spoke.

Marilyn and I sat down on a log that was to the right of his chair. Before I began, I took another look at him. His blue eyes shone in the firelight, and they seemed wise. Yet, they looked familiar. As if they were out of a distant dream. His robe, although a dark brown was decorated with various curvy patterns in a lighter shade of brown. His hands looked old, yet still strong. I would assume so, considering the prey he had hunted down for sustenance.

“I am seeking information,” I started. “I want to know who are Unseen in town, and if I'm in any danger.”

He turned towards Marilyn, “And you, young shamaness?”

Marilyn gulped. “I guess I would like to find my spirit guide, Mystic.”

“Guess?” he replied. “You either are, or you're not.”

I smirked, definitely Yoda-like.

Marilyn screwed herself up and more confidently said, “I am, Mystic.”

“Very well. I will aid you in your quests.”

I looked at him, and was beginning to wonder if he forgot all about me, since the reason why we came was so that I could get information.

“But...,” I started.

“Patience, one who is fur and feather, and who is ferocious, yet intelligent and wise,” he quickly and sternly replied, cutting me off. “I may help you. I haven't decided.”

Sighing, I lowered my head out of respect. “Very well.”

“However, you may be needed.”

“Needed?” I asked.

He simply nodded. “There have been disturbances as of late. And I want you to protect this new shamaness.”

“Uhh..., how?”

“You needn't worry about that. I will handle it.”

I gulped. Marilyn looked at me and was completely perplexed by what was going on as well.

“I thought that this spirit walk would be a solitary one though.”

“Times are changing, young one. And so, we must change with them or cease to be.”

“Okay...,” Marilyn commented.

“Seems like survival of the fittest to me,” I added.

“Very good.”

“But, I want some information,” I countered.

“It will come when it comes,” the Mystic cryptically spoke. “Knowledge seekers find it in the unexpected places after all.”

“I guess so,” I replied, uncertain of what he meant. Although I think he knew that I did know its meaning.

He stood up and stated, “I will return with the necessary reagents to help you cross into the spirit realm. Young shamaness, you have been told what you must do, correct?”

Marilyn nodded, and added, “How will a Were traverse the great divide to spirit realm though? I thought that only shamans could do so.”

“Really?” he commented, heading into his small house. “We'll just have to see about that.”

“Now, what does he mean by that?” Marilyn asked.

“I guess we'll have to wait and see.”

He returned from his house a short time later, carrying a briefcase of some kind. He set the case up in the illumination of the fire and began to rummage around in it. From what I could tell, from my angle, it looked like a variety of various pouches in different sizes and colors.

He rummaged around in there until he pulled out a few bags and closed the case.

“Time for you two to cross one of the great divides and learn. Remember: you die there, you die here,” he said, ominously.

He put his hand in a couple of the pouches and threw powders into the flames. He began to chant strange words and threw different powders into the flames, which had now changed color to a very bright and eerie green.

“Both of you, concentrate on the flames while I finish the ritual.”

“How will we get back?” Marilyn asked.

“Don't you worry about that. You will return when it is time.”

I looked into the flames as he threw more powder into shifting the flames color to a brilliant shade of purple. He began to chant strange words again, this time they were much louder.

Marilyn and I just kept watching the flames dance, while he continued his chant. He began to walk around the fire the chant's volume and speed increasing. Quickly followed by him starting to dance strangely around the flames.

I kept watching the flames, wondering if something was going to happen. I suddenly felt sleepy for some strange reason, even though I was wide awake. My eyelids drooped and I could see Marilyn nodding off at the same time out of the corner of my eye.

Must watch the fire, I told myself. Maybe after a little nap, as I dozed off.

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I woke some time later. Was it after a night sleep, or just a second? I couldn't tell. I looked around and saw myself back in my bedroom at home. How did I get back here? I don't remember the hike back to John's car or the ride home? Did the Mystic's fire put me into a state resembling drunkenness?

I looked out the window and saw nothing but thick, gray fog, and an eerie fog at that. I thought that we would have increasing clouds for today, not fog. Typically, we would only get fog after a large rainstorm with enough moisture still remaining in the air.

Looking at myself, it appeared that I slept in my clothes. Even though they weren't very wrinkled. Something wasn't adding up here, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I headed out of my room and downstairs. Everything seemed to be the way I left it earlier today, except that it was quiet, deadly quiet. Where was Mom and Grandmother? Shouldn't they be here?

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I had to call Marilyn, maybe she knew what was going on around here.

I found her number on the phone and hit dial. Holding it up to my ear I could hear it ring, and then, a voice message: “We're sorry, but the number you have dialed is not in service. Please try your call again later.”

Odd. Very odd. What was going on around here? I headed out the door to the garage; hopefully one of the bicycles were available, as I didn't want to head to Marilyn's house on foot. Even though I could simply turn into a raven and fly there.

Walking out the kitchen door into the garage, I suddenly was standing right outside. Standing in front of Marilyn's house. Turning around, I could see my house right behind me.

Okay, now, what was really going on? Nothing is making sense here.

I went over to Marilyn's house and knocked on the door as quickly as I could. “Marilyn!” I shouted, rapping the door with my hand loudly and rapidly.

She didn't answer. I knocked and shouted some more. Finally, I tried the door knob to see if it was unlocked. To my surprise, it was.

I cautiously entered Marilyn's house, and for some reason, it looked as empty as my own house.

“Marilyn!” I called out, starting to get desperate.

“Mikaela!” I heard back, and I saw her rush down the stairs from her room. “Are you alright?”

“Oh, just peachy,” I replied. “Except for the fact that you are the only other person that I've seen so far. Where is everyone? And why is my house right next door to yours?”

“It is?” she replied, looking out the open door right behind me. “All I see is the lake.”

“What? You can't see my house?” I answered, turning around to point it out. “It's right..., there?”

My gaze now fell upon the shore of the lake, close to where John had parked his car. The dense, gray fog hung heavily above the water. I shook my head to try to clear my head. “What the hell is going on?”

“We've crossed over into the spirit realm. This realm doesn't play by the same rules as ours does. I'm just surprised that the Mystic managed to send the two of us here. Even though I thought that it wasn't possible to do so.”

“Now why is that?”

“I've been taught that shamans can traverse to the spirit realm and back through a special ritual. But, it's good enough for only one person.”

“Then I guess the Mystic must know an alternative method to send more than one person through.”

“Agreed.”

“So, now what do we do?”

“I am not sure. From all the preparation I had undergone, and all the material that I could get my hands on to read, I only have some idea of what should happen. Typically, my spirit guide is the first animal that I come across. So far, all I've seen here when I came to, is you.”

“Well, even though a human is technically an animal, I doubt that I'm your spirit guide. Given that I am still alive and all that.”

“Spirits are living creatures, just like us,” Marilyn explained. “These just don't operate like we do.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, they seem to have their own ways. However, they can be quite useful allies.”

“How would you know?”

“My mother's guide helped lead her to my father when she was a little older than me. I think that counts as useful, don't you?”

“Depends,” I answered with a shrug. “Your dad could be a bit of an ass at times.”

Marilyn giggled. “Yeah, but they still love each other.”

I smiled. “So, where do we go?”

“Out there, I guess.”

“Lead on.”

We left her house and began walking along the shore of the lake, near the parking lot where John had dropped us off at. I turned around after we walked a few seconds and her house had now disappeared into the misty fog. The overall effect of this place definitely creeped me out.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” I muttered to myself.

“What?”

“Just trying to lure an animal out for you.”

She just shook her head. “Like that'll ever work.”

I shrugged. “Can't fault me for trying.”

We continued our walk along what seemed like an endless shoreline when I heard a rustle in the trees near us. Almost as if the wind was blowing, but I couldn't feel any breeze against my skin. Marilyn saw me stop and look into the forest.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There's something out there.”

“Really? Where?” she asked, looking.

“Up there, somewhere,” I replied, continuing to look through the fog for any sign of what had made the noise.

“Sure you're just not hearing things?” she asked, looking skeptic.

“Positive. Something's out there.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

“Keep going, but be cautious. Do shamans have any offensive abilities?”

“Not until we get our spirit guide, unfortunately.”

I rolled my eyes, “Great..., this is going to be fun.”

“Sarcasm aside, I think you should be able to handle anything that comes our way.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

We continued walking a little more and I think I could begin to make out a house in the distance. Did we manage to walk along the shore and find the Mystic's house again? Given the strangeness of the locations in this place, I wasn't holding my breath.

However, to my surprise, the Mystic's house did begin to materialize right before my eyes. Even the purple bonfire was burning brightly and intensely as I remembered it. Marilyn and I dashed over there and knocked on the door, yet no one answered the door. We tried the knob, but it was locked.

“Well, there goes a way out of this place,” I commented.

My ears perked up again, as I thought I heard something in the nearby woods again.

“But, we can't leave. Not until I find my spirit guide!” Marilyn defiantly rebuked.

“Okay, then what do you suggest we do?” I asked. “This place for some reason is giving me the creeps, big time, all of a sudden.”

I rubbed my arms as I thought I could feel a chill in the air. Or was it just the brooding presence of this damned fog?

I went over to the fire pit to see if I could keep the fire going. Luckily, some wood was set up in the pit and all I needed to do was just keep feeding it.

Marilyn rubbed her arms and sat down in the same spot she did when all of this started. A few minutes later, I fed the fire and kept an eye on the roaring blaze. Seemed to be enough to provide warmth and light for us, and it still burned purple for some reason.

I looked around and the same eerie gray fog continued to envelop us at the Mystic's home, if even this was his home. Things here just didn't add up, like when I left my house for Marilyn's and was instantly there, and my home was missing its garage in order for me to make that journey.

Strangely, I could almost feel like there were things just beyond the fog, waiting for something. But, what?

“Marilyn,” I started, “I think there's something out there.”

“What makes you say that?” she asked.

“I don't know. It's kind of like that feeling where the hairs on your neck stand up on end. You know?”

“I think I do,” Marilyn replied.

We sat there for a while and then that creepy feeling picked up again. I quickly looked around and got to my feet.

“Alright!” I shouted to the fog, “I know you're out there! Show yourselves and let's be done with it!”

I started to circle the fire and continued my frustrated shout to the mists. “I don't know what kind of sick game you're playing. But enough is enough already!”

“Mikaela,” Marilyn timidly spoke, “are you sure it's wise to try to provoke them?”

“I don't know, Marilyn,” I replied. “In all honesty, I really don't know.”

“Well, I hope you didn't antagonize the spirits too much.”

A deep voice from beyond the fog eerily called out, “Oh, the bird-dog didn't, young shaman.”

Four figures emerged from the fog directly across from us. Humanoid in appearance, and yet they definitely were not human. They looked like they were made out of four different things. Or more specifically, they looked like they were made out of the four classical elements: earth, air, water, and fire.

The two that looked like they were constructed of air and fire looked like their elements were wrapped within a human skin. The elements inside that layer moved and pulsed, as if it was very much alive. The air element human was harder to distinguish against the foggy background. However, electricity seemed to be flashing within, illuminating the outline. The earth element human looked like living rock, with two bright green glowing eyes. Plants even grew off of it.

Marilyn and I looked at each other in surprise and shock. Out of everything we were expecting this definitely wasn't it.

"Marilyn?" I asked, glancing at her.

"Don't look at me," she replied. "Spirit guides are usually a person or an animal for a young shaman."

"They don't really look like either of those to me."

"That's because we're not, bird-dog," stated one of them. My guess it was the fire one, since it turned to look in my direction after I said my comment.

"Bird-dog?" I fired back, shooting them a look that said, "Do you really want to mess with me?"

The four of them faced me, or so I thought that's what they did. "She speaks. Well, I guess there's some hope yet," the water one replied, sounding a bit like a woman.

"Humph. Would you prefer raven-wolf then?" the air one added, also sounding female.

"Doesn’t seem to roll off the tongue, does it?" the water one quipped.

"Not really," the earth one commented. "But, it is more descriptive. And do we really need to debate about what to call this one?"

I struggled to put a few words together, but I held up my pointer finger and managed to get out, "Excuse me? But, I'd rather not be called anything like that. I have a name, and it is Mikaela."

"Well," the earth one started, "at least she knows how to hold her ground. Maybe we can get this over with quickly then."

"There is that," the fire one agreed.

"Mind explaining what you are and what you want with us?"

They looked towards Marilyn and the water said, "Young shaman, you know what we are, correct?"

"I think so."

"Then explain to the bird-dog and be quick about it. Some of us have a busy schedule to keep," the fire one replied, hastily.

I shot the fire one a hard glance with a small growl. "Cut it out."

I swear I heard it laugh, although it sounded like wood crackling in a fire.

"Don’t antagonize them," Marilyn stated. "If I'm right, these are the four elemental spirits."

"Very good," said the water one.

"But, why would you appear before a shaman like me?"

"That's a good question, young one. One that I hope we can all answer."